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SEO is not just for tech giants and online stores—it's a powerful tool that the best restaurants in the world use strategically to attract customers.
We know you're busy running your restaurant and the thought of optimizing your website might feel like another burden.
But here's the deal: you don't need to be an SEO expert or spend a fortune to make it work. Just a few simple steps can significantly improve your online visibility and bring more customers through your doors.
To help you out, we have built a free SEO checklist - also, for a full action plan, please check our pack of marketing tactics and strategies for restaurant owners.
Get the SEO checklist made for restaurant owners
The best restaurants rank first on Google. Here is a free tool to to get you started.
What is SEO for restaurants exactly?
Simply put, SEO is all about making your restaurant’s website more attractive to search engines like Google.
When someone searches for "best Italian restaurant in [Your Town]" or "family-friendly brunch spots," SEO helps your restaurant show up in the results. The goal is to get your website higher up on the search results page so more people can find and visit your restaurant.
Why is SEO Important for Restaurants?
SEO is incredibly important for restaurants, and here’s why:
- Increased Online Visibility:
The higher your website ranks on search engines, the more people will see it. This means more potential customers discovering your restaurant online, especially when they're looking for dining options.
- Higher Rankings on Search Engines:
Most people don’t look past the first page of search results. By optimizing your site, you can climb those rankings and beat out the competition. Imagine someone searching for "best sushi near me" and finding your restaurant right at the top!
- Attracting More Local Customers:
SEO isn't just about getting anyone to your site—it's about getting the right people. Local SEO helps ensure that when someone nearby searches for a place to eat, your restaurant pops up. This means more foot traffic and more diners filling your tables.
Key Components of SEO
Now, let’s break down the main parts of SEO specifically for your restaurant:
On-Page SEO
This involves making sure the content on your website is optimized. It includes things like:
- Keywords:
Using the words and phrases people are searching for in your titles, descriptions, and content. For example, if you serve vegan dishes, make sure you use phrases like "best vegan restaurant" or "vegan-friendly dining" on your site.
- Content Quality:
Providing useful, engaging, and fresh content about your restaurant. Share your menu, special offers, upcoming events, and stories about your food and team.
- Meta Tags:
Using meta titles and descriptions that are relevant and appealing to searchers. For instance, a meta description for your homepage could be "Enjoy delicious homemade pasta at [Your Restaurant Name], the top-rated Italian restaurant in [Your Town]."
Off-Page SEO
This focuses on actions taken outside your website to impact your rankings:
- Backlinks:
Getting other reputable websites to link to your site, which signals to search engines that your site is trustworthy and relevant. This could be from food bloggers, local news sites, or community event pages.
- Social Media:
Being active on social media with your restaurant’s page can drive traffic to your site and improve your online presence. Share your latest dishes, customer reviews, and special events to engage with your audience.
Technical SEO
This ensures your website meets the technical requirements of search engines:
- Site Speed:
Making sure your website loads quickly. No one likes to wait, especially hungry customers looking for your menu!
- Mobile-Friendliness:
Ensuring your site looks and works well on mobile devices. Many people search for restaurants on their phones while on the go.
- Secure Website (HTTPS):
Having a secure website that users (and search engines) can trust. This is especially important if you have an online reservation or ordering system.
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Which keywords should you target for your restaurant?
Restaurant owners, like you, must target specific keywords in SEO because it helps their website appear in search results when potential customers look for the type of food or dining experience they offer. This increases the chances that people will find and visit their restaurant.
For example, if you specialize in vegan food, targeting keywords like "best vegan restaurant" or "vegan food near me" helps attract customers searching for those terms. This makes it easier for people interested in vegan dining to find your restaurant online.
Here are some keyword ideas for you, if you want a more developed strategy, with actionable steps, go check out our strategy pack for restaurant owners.
| Keyword | Competitiveness Level | Tips and Initiatives |
|---|---|---|
| Best [Restaurant Type] in [Your City] | High | Optimize your website with high-quality images of dishes, gather customer reviews, list on local directories, and use local SEO strategies. |
| Where to eat [Food You Serve] | Medium | Create blog posts or pages on your website highlighting your best dishes, use keywords naturally in content, and engage with local food bloggers. |
| Restaurant with good atmosphere near me | Medium | Use beautiful imagery of your restaurant's ambiance, gather positive customer reviews, and ensure your Google My Business profile is complete. |
| Best place for [Meal Type] in [Your City] | Medium | Feature specific meal types prominently on your website (e.g., brunch, dinner), use local SEO tactics, and promote specials on social media. |
| [Your Cuisine] restaurant in [Your City] | High | Highlight unique aspects of your cuisine, create SEO-friendly content about your dishes, and engage with the local community online. |
| Top-rated [Restaurant Type] near me | High | Encourage satisfied customers to leave positive reviews, optimize your website for mobile, and ensure accurate information on local listings. |
| Affordable [Restaurant Type] in [Your City] | Low | Highlight affordable options and specials on your website, use keywords related to value, and promote deals on social media. |
| Where to find [Food You Serve] near me | Medium | Use local SEO strategies, create content around popular dishes, and ensure your website is optimized for mobile users searching nearby. |
| Popular [Restaurant Type] in [Your City] | Medium | Use social media to share popular menu items, engage with local influencers, and gather customer testimonials to build credibility. |
| Best [Restaurant Type] for families in [Your City] | Low | Create family-friendly content, highlight amenities for families on your website, and host family-themed events to generate buzz. |
What really matters when you do SEO for a restaurant
Actually, we think that SEO often follows the 80/20 rule, meaning that 80% of your results come from 20% of your efforts. For restaurant owners, like you, this means it's crucial to focus on the right strategies to maximise impact without feeling overwhelmed.
| Action / Initiative | Why It Matters / How It Helps Bring New Customers |
|---|---|
| Optimize Google My Business profile | Ensures your restaurant appears in local search results, provides essential information (hours, location, menu), and collects reviews to build trust. |
| Gather and respond to online reviews | Positive reviews build credibility and trust. Responding to reviews shows you value customer feedback, encouraging more people to visit. |
| Create high-quality content with targeted keywords | Helps your website rank higher in search results for relevant queries, attracting customers looking for specific types of food or dining experiences. |
| Optimize for local SEO | Ensures your restaurant shows up in local searches (e.g., "restaurants near me"), driving foot traffic from nearby potential customers. |
| Ensure website is mobile-friendly | Most users search for restaurants on their phones. A mobile-friendly site provides a better user experience, leading to higher engagement and conversions. |
| Use high-quality images of dishes and ambiance | Attractive photos entice potential customers, showcasing your food and atmosphere, which can significantly influence their decision to visit. |
| Include an online menu with keywords | Allows search engines to index your menu, helping you appear in searches for specific dishes, and makes it easy for customers to see what you offer. |
| List your restaurant on local directories | Increases your online presence and backlinks, improving your search engine ranking and making it easier for customers to find you. |
| Engage with local food bloggers and influencers | Generates buzz and word-of-mouth, reaching a wider audience and attracting customers who trust these local voices. |
| Promote special events and offers | Creates a sense of urgency and excitement, encouraging potential customers to visit your restaurant for unique experiences. |
| Utilize social media to share updates and engage with customers | Builds a community around your restaurant, keeps customers informed about new offerings, and drives traffic to your website. |
| Ensure accurate and consistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone) information across all platforms | Prevents confusion, helps search engines trust your business information, and improves your local SEO ranking. |
| Offer online reservations and ordering | Makes it convenient for customers to plan their visit or order food, leading to increased bookings and sales. |
| Create blog posts about your dishes and dining experience | Attracts visitors to your site through informative and engaging content, improving SEO and showcasing what makes your restaurant unique. |
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What is always useless when you do SEO for a restaurant
We have studied a lot of restaurants when we built our strategy pack and we saw a lot of SEO-related initiatives that don't help attract new customers. We explain here why they might be a waste of time or even counterproductive.
| Action / Initiative | Why It Doesn't Matter / How It Doesn't Help Bring New Customers |
|---|---|
| Using meta keyword tags | Search engines no longer use meta keyword tags to rank pages, so focusing on them doesn't improve SEO for your restaurant. |
| Keyword stuffing in menu descriptions | Overusing keywords in menu descriptions makes them hard to read and can be penalized by search engines, turning away potential customers. |
| Paying for backlinks from unrelated websites | Backlinks from non-food related or low-quality websites don't improve your SEO and can even hurt your ranking if considered spammy by search engines. |
| Using exact match domains like bestpizzaintown.com | Having an exact match domain has minimal impact on SEO and can appear spammy, especially if it doesn't reflect your brand well. |
| Creating multiple pages for the same menu items | Duplicate content confuses search engines and can dilute your SEO efforts. Focus on one high-quality page for each unique menu item or topic. |
| Using Flash for menu or booking pages | Flash is outdated, not supported by many devices, and negatively impacts SEO. Modern alternatives like HTML5 should be used instead. |
| Focusing only on desktop optimization | Many customers search for restaurants on mobile devices. Ignoring mobile optimization leads to poor user experience and lower search rankings. |
| Using automated link-building tools | These tools often create low-quality or spammy links that can be penalized by search engines, hurting your restaurant's SEO efforts. |
| Ignoring structured data for menus | Structured data helps search engines understand your menu better. Ignoring it means missing out on potential SEO benefits like rich snippets. |
| Not updating your online menu regularly | Outdated menu information can frustrate customers and harm your SEO. Regular updates keep content relevant and maintain search rankings. |
| Using irrelevant stock photos on your site | Low-quality or irrelevant images can negatively impact user experience and SEO. Use high-quality photos of your actual dishes and restaurant. |
| Over-optimizing anchor text in links | Using exact match keywords for every link appears unnatural and can be penalized by search engines. Use varied, natural anchor text instead. |
| Ignoring page load speed for your website | Slow-loading pages frustrate users and can lead to higher bounce rates, negatively impacting your restaurant's SEO. Ensure your site loads quickly. |
| Using too many ads above the fold on your homepage | Too many ads at the top of the page can be off-putting for users and may be penalized by search engines, impacting your SEO negatively. |
Should you pay someone for the SEO of your restaurant?
Well, we will be transparent. Here’s the thing: SEO can get pretty complex, and having some support can really make a difference. Imagine trying to juggle running your restaurant, managing staff, keeping customers happy, and then on top of that, diving into the world of search engine optimization. It’s a lot, right?
Having someone handle your SEO means you can focus on what you do best—running your restaurant. SEO experts know the ins and outs of getting your website to rank higher on search engines. They stay updated on the latest trends and algorithms, which means your site will be optimized correctly and consistently. This can lead to more people finding your restaurant online, and ultimately, more customers walking through your doors.
- But here’s the kicker: there are a lot of low-hanging fruits in SEO that you can tackle on your own, even if you don’t know much about it.
You will find a lot of low-hanging fruits that cost nothing, are quick to implement, and will make your restaurant’s website much more visible in strategy pack for restaurant owners.
Simple actions like optimizing your Google My Business profile, ensuring your website is mobile-friendly, and using relevant keywords can significantly improve your online presence. These tasks don't require deep technical knowledge but can make a big impact.
So, should you increase the marketing budget of your restaurant pay someone to manage your SEO? If you can do it, it’s a worthwhile investment. But don't underestimate what you can achieve on your own. Start with the basics, see the results, and then decide if you need more specialized help.
Make your restaurant more profitable
We have studied the strategies of the best restaurants in the world. All their tactics are explained in our pack!
Useful tools restaurant owners can use for their SEO
Here are some essential tools that our team has collected and listed, to help you improve your restaurant's online presence and SEO.
| Tool | How It's Useful |
|---|---|
| Google My Business | Ensures your restaurant appears in local search results and Google Maps, provides essential information (hours, location, menu), and collects customer reviews. |
| SEMrush | Helps identify the best keywords for your restaurant, analyze competitors, and track your search rankings. Provides insights to improve your content and visibility. |
| Yext | Manages your restaurant's listings across multiple directories, ensuring consistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone) information to boost local SEO. |
| Google Search Console | Monitors your restaurant website's performance, identifies issues, and provides data on search traffic and keywords to optimize your SEO strategy. |
| Yelp | Collects customer reviews and ratings, which improve your restaurant's online reputation and visibility in local search results. |
| BrightLocal | Offers tools for local SEO audits, citation building, and review management, helping your restaurant improve its local search presence. |
| Moz | Provides keyword research, link building, and site audit tools to enhance your restaurant's SEO efforts and improve search engine rankings. |
| Ahrefs | Analyzes your restaurant's backlink profile, identifies top-performing content, and tracks keyword rankings to boost your SEO strategy. |
| Screaming Frog SEO Spider | Crawls your restaurant's website to identify technical SEO issues, such as broken links and duplicate content, helping improve site health and rankings. |
| AnswerThePublic | Generates content ideas by showing what people are searching for related to your restaurant, helping you create relevant and engaging blog posts and pages. |
| Canva | Helps create visually appealing social media posts and graphics for your website, which can improve user engagement and indirectly boost SEO. |
| Hotjar | Provides insights into user behavior on your restaurant's website through heatmaps and session recordings, helping you optimize user experience and reduce bounce rates. |
Copy the SEO tactics of the best restaurant owners
We understand why many restaurant owners might shy away from SEO and marketing.
Managing a restaurant is already a full-time job, and the concept of SEO can seem vague and foreign. The terminology can be confusing, and it often feels like marketing is a luxury only big corporations can afford.
Plus, there's the constant worry about costs and whether any marketing efforts will actually pay off. We get that you prefer to focus on immediate, tangible improvements to your restaurant rather than dive into something that seems complicated and uncertain. No need to deteriorate your restaurant’s budget here.
That's why we've created a "marketing pack" specifically for restaurant owners like you.
Our pack is designed to address all these concerns head-on. It includes easy-to-follow guides that break down SEO and marketing into simple steps, so you don't need to be a tech expert to understand. We offer cost-effective strategies that fit within tight budgets, and our step-by-step plans ensure that you can implement a good marketing strategy for your restaurant without feeling overwhelmed.
Plus, we've included real-life examples and tips that have worked for other small restaurants, so you can see the tangible benefits before you even start.
Our goal is to make marketing accessible and practical, helping your restaurant thrive without adding extra stress to your already busy life.
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